ZAGREB, Jan 21 (Hina) - According to experts, 80 to 90 percent of cases of sexual abuse of children in Croatia takes place in the family. According to available statistical figures one third of molesters are a parent (father, mother,
step-father, step-mother) and some close relatives account for 50 percent. Few people know that one third of victims are kids under five, whereas the average age of the children-victims of molestation is nine years. Traumatic experience is stronger and harder for a child exposed to 'continuos' molestation carried out by a person who is emotionally closer to that child, a psychotherapist, Gordana Buljan Flander, has said, explaining that cases of attacks of paedophiles against children outside the family circle usually attract the media attention, children-victims have the support from family and these cases are easier detected and necessary assistance is provided to kids. Unfortuna
ZAGREB, Jan 21 (Hina) - According to experts, 80 to 90 percent of
cases of sexual abuse of children in Croatia takes place in the
family.
According to available statistical figures one third of molesters
are a parent (father, mother, step-father, step-mother) and some
close relatives account for 50 percent.
Few people know that one third of victims are kids under five,
whereas the average age of the children-victims of molestation is
nine years.
Traumatic experience is stronger and harder for a child exposed to
'continuos' molestation carried out by a person who is emotionally
closer to that child, a psychotherapist, Gordana Buljan Flander,
has said, explaining that cases of attacks of paedophiles against
children outside the family circle usually attract the media
attention, children-victims have the support from family and these
cases are easier detected and necessary assistance is provided to
kids. Unfortunately, children who are victims of the incestuous
abuse, are often deprived of help from those who should have cared
about them.
The sexual abuse does not necessarily include the sexual
intercourse, but there is sexual intercourse in 30 percent of the
detected cases.
The molesting usually commences with 'games' and fondling and
similar acts with children four or five years old. According to
statistics, the molesters begin with oral sex with seven- or eight-
year-olds, who then can feel that something is wrong. But molesters
usually then resort to threats to kill a child or their dear ones, if
they reveal anything.
Abusers try sexual intercourse with kids nine or ten years old, and
the victim does not dare to complain or report it to anybody, due to
the fear or shame.
Besides sexual molestation, physical and emotional abuse as well as
negligence are huge problems. According to figures released by
Croatia's Interior Ministry, in 1990 police received reports for
353 cases of molestation and 461 cases of physical attacks against
children.
The number of reported cases of abused kids in Croatia began to rise
five or six years ago, but this increase was not result of an
increase in cases. This was so thanks to better media information
available to people and children advising them how to act in such
cases and thanks to better training of experts who should detect and
help victims, Ms. Buljan Flander said.
In 2000 the "Courageous Telephone" freephone hot-line for abused
kids received 16 children's call per week, while in Zagreb the
children's hospital ward for such problems is currently treating
500 abused or neglected children, she added.
The better education and training of parents and experts and bids to
make the entire public more sensitive to such problem is the only
way for the successful prevention of child abuse. For this purpose,
Croatian Social Welfare Ministry launched action against child
abuse called "Silence is Accessory (to Abuse)" last week.
(hina) ms